Rupert Wyatt departing the Apes sequel?

September 18, 2012 - By Liam Goodwin

According to DeadlineRise of the Planet of the Apes director Rupert Wyatt may be about to withdraw from directing the sequel. It has not been confirmed and 20th Century Fox hasn’t officially commented on his exit, but apparently the issue is scheduling.

The studio recently announced that Dawn of the Planet of the Apes would hit screens May 23, 2014, and Wyatt isn’t happy with that timeframe, much like Gary Ross didn’t think he could direct The Hunger Games: Catching Fire with the tight schedule Lionsgate had set.

May 2014 is still 20 months away and Rise of the Planet of the Apes had a pretty tight schedule (13 months between the start of filming and its release), but Wyatt’s withdrawal may be valid if he has concerns. He’s got other projects in the works with Universal and Warner Bros. so he can turn his attention to them.

Previously Wyatt said the sequel may take place several years after the events of the first film with humans potentially living underground and apes taking over cities, aided by a virus that causes the collapse of human society.